"The best thing we can do is help people get a decent job with decent pay and conditions."

The government understood the challenges of surviving on income support, which was why Labor had put extra money into age and disability pensions, and carers allowances, Ms Plibersek said.

The best financial security a family could have is one or both parents in work, she said.

Greens acting leader Adam Bandt yesterday challenged Ms Macklin to join him in trying to live on the dole amount for a week in February.

"To show how hard it is for many people to make ends meet, I will try living on Newstart for a week in February and I invite the minister to join me," he said.

Housing Minister Brendan O'Connor slammed Mr Bandt for being "patronising", but Combined Pensioners Association president Pat Warriner said she would "love to see the minister try it for a month".

Council of Single Mothers and their Children spokeswoman Terese Edwards said almost half the single parents hit by the cuts were already working and stood to lose the most cash under the changes - up to $233 a fortnight.

Around 10,000 single mums will lose their benefits altogether and miss out of the pensioner concession card that gave them and their children access to cheap medicines, electricity and telephone costs, she said.

Australian Council of Social Services chief Cassandra Goldie said she didn't see the need for the minister to prove she could live off the dole.

"Frankly the evidence is in already," she said. "Three parliamentary inquiries have said Newstart is inadequate, research has found on average someone on Newstart has $16.50 a day to live on after you take out housing costs."

The minister did not make any comment yesterday but parliamentary records show she racked up more than $290,000 in work-related expenses in the first six month of 2012.

She has responsibility for indigenous affairs and travels to remote regions as part of her job, which pushed up her expense bill. And an eight-day visit to Canada to speak at the World Indigenous Housing conference in June cost $52,000.

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Comments on this story

Nick of Melbourne Posted at 8:10 AM January 03, 2013

I'm not on the dole, but it easy for these people to say "I'll prove I can live on it for a week" a week is nothing, I'm sure their bills are paid, the cupboards are full of food, there is petrol already in their car! Anyone can live on $35 a day if they don't have to pay for anything. Take away all their food, and their cars etc and see if they can live on it! I earn alright money in my job and in today's society I find it hard to live on that, and I only have myself to worry about!

Bernard B of Brisbane Posted at 7:56 AM January 03, 2013

These single parents fail to understand that government support is only a supplement. We would all love to stay at home and be paid to watch our kids grow up but the reality is that you have to leave the kids and work. Maybe these parents don't understand that they are a burden on us taxpayers?

Angus of Brisbane Posted at 7:44 AM January 03, 2013

What a lie I knew about this earlier last year. If I knew about it everyone should know. We don't even have kids and we knew. All you have to do is work and this wouldn't be an issue for you. Try living as a couple on a single wage and have kids. There's nowhere near the same money single mums get and when you have a mortgage there is no rent assistance. This country props up too many non contributors. The standard of living for a working person or family with a least one person working should be always be much higher. To me thats logical but a welfare family can receive more with a couple of kids -and get public housing near a capital city- than a working family. Also half these mothers have undeclared partners cheating welfare anyway makes you sick. Half of western suburbs of sydney,brisbane and logan etc. This is a step in the right direction to help our economy. A non issue really for Jenny Macklin as she has a job. Jealous of income - study and get a higher paying job. Who wants to live in a welfare society anyway.

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